FSU College of Music students perform in concert. The college’s new Center for Music Leadership and Community Engagement will help prepare students for a range of music careers while expanding connections with arts organizations and community partners.

Florida State University’s College of Music has earned national recognition in three areas, with Music School Finder naming FSU a 2027 Standout for Music Education, Music Therapy and Southeast Regional Music.

Music School Finder features a curated selection of 269 U.S. college music programs and helps prospective students and families explore programs based on musical and academic fit. Its 2027 Standouts recognize small groups of programs with particular strengths based on published criteria. The distinctions don’t include numerical rankings, and schools do not pay to be selected.

FSU was one of 10 schools nationwide recognized as a Music Education Standout, one of 11 selected for Music Therapy and one of eight named a Southeast Regional Music Standout.

“These recognitions reflect the breadth of the College of Music and our longstanding commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers in music,” said Greg Jones, associate dean for artistic planning in FSU’s College of Music. “We are especially proud to be recognized for programs that combine rigorous musical training with hands-on experiences that allow our students to make an impact in schools, healthcare settings and communities.”

Preparing the next generation of music educators

Music School Finder recognized FSU’s Music Education program for its longstanding educator preparation, fieldwork opportunities and leadership in training school music educators. The organization also considered the strength of the undergraduate pathway and opportunities for applied learning.

Those qualities have long been central to FSU’s program. Music education students gain hands-on teaching experience at multiple levels while preparing for careers in choral, instrumental and general music education. Graduates of FSU’s bachelor’s program who seek teaching positions have achieved a 100% placement rate for 50 years.

The program combines intensive musical study with coursework and practical teaching experiences designed to prepare graduates for the classroom.

A 70-year tradition in music therapy

FSU’s Music Therapy program was recognized for its clinical preparation, supervised fieldwork, sustained undergraduate program and applied-learning opportunities.

The recognition follows the program’s 70th anniversary in 2025. FSU offers music therapy education from the undergraduate through doctoral levels, with students gaining clinical experience through community-based practica at sites throughout the Tallahassee area. Undergraduate students also complete a six-month, full-time internship.

The program prepares students to use music in settings that include healthcare, mental health, special education, hospice and services for older adults.

A standout in the Southeast

Music School Finder also named FSU among eight Southeast Regional Music Standouts. Programs were selected based on the breadth, quality and distinctiveness of their undergraduate music opportunities, as well as their training models, scale and student experiences.

FSU offers study across a broad range of musical fields, including performance, composition, conducting, music education, music therapy, musicology, jazz, music industry and technology.

Music School Finder highlighted the College of Music’s combination of extensive academic and performance opportunities, faculty mentorship and focus on student success.

The College of Music continues to expand those opportunities. This fall, it launched the Center for Music Leadership and Community Engagement, which prepares students for a range of music careers while expanding partnerships with arts organizations and community partners in Tallahassee and beyond.

The center brings together the college’s Bachelor of Arts in Community Music, Master of Arts in Arts Administration and music entrepreneurship initiatives and serves as a hub for internships, professional development and community engagement.